The Armour Archive

So after years of pining over my stolen B2 and dealing with various alternatives, I finally took the plunge and purchased a HF Throatless shear. Of course, Good Ol' Murphy doesn't like me much so the product is on back order with, according to them, no concrete lead time as of yet.
Does anyone have any experience with HF and their ordering process? And, is it true that these shears can accomodate B2 replacement blades?
Any info would be appreciated...

As far as the harbor freight ordering process, I had a bad experience. They said that the package would be sent out on a specific date, I called them 5 days after I expected delivery to find that the package had not left the warehouse as it was supposed to. They canceled half of my order because it was out of stock, and when I tried to cancel the rest of my order, they were extremely difficult. Personally, I would never order anything from harbor freight again.

It may cost you more in shipping, BUT...
I have an HF store here in FT. Wayne, IN I have been assured there are 3 in the back. If you have to I can pick it up and send it just pay for it and the shipping. maybe I can work a deal picking 2 of them up ( got a TJ 8" straight shear and want to try the HF) I'll head over there today and see if they still have them

Maybe they've changed the blade style on the HF shear, but way back in 1999 I bought one, and the blades for neither a B1 nor a B2 would fit it.

I ordered two additional blade sets for my old HF, and both of the replacement blades fared better than the originals. I still had to sand them down every few months when I was working 18 ga. stainless, but apparently many people on the AA have had much better luck with the newer HF shears.

Then again, it was my very first shear, so I may not have treated it properly, either.

I bought an HF throatless shear recently and just used it to cut up the pieces of my very first project- spaulders(yes, I will post pics soon).

I wondered just how good the shear would be, and after I had begun cutting the 16 gauge sheet my response was "Oh, hell yeah!" Sure beats the snot out of using hand cutters!

The first thing I realized was that the blades need to be properly aligned before you begin to cut anything. So far I am pleased. Ask me again in about a year, and we'll see how it is holding up though.

Since somebody mentioned it, I'll have to check if HF has replacement blades for it, as replacing them will certainly be an eventual thing.

Kirby had a set of old blacksmith throatless bench style metal shears stolen as we were moving shop stuff from the Mine to Bouse in 1981. The flatbed was packed with alot of his forge equipment but only these were taken. Boy, was he angry when we came back with another load a few days later.

He got these from an old blacksmith/wagonmaker in Blythe back in 1970s. The old wagonmaster was in his 80s then and had them since he was a young man. No telling how old they were and dont remember the company name now. There was no way Kirby could replace them. After Kirby finished setting the shop up, these were one of the first things he had to construct. Made a set from memory and a small photo of another similar style including the blades.

He has an Edwards handcranked circular one and other more modern ones now, but the handmade throatless still gets the most use.

In Quartzsite, there are plenty of vendors offering Chinese made equipment. Alot of what we have seen will not stand up. The other options is scouring an old junkyards/second hand or old farm. In Quartzsite during the shows, there are plenty of people selling old blacksmith equipment. Some can be salvaged.

However, if you have the skills and equipment sometimes having to make your own is the only route you have to take.